Christmas clashes are a sad reminder of need for effective solutions
- The world looked on as chaos and violence returned after a brief respite, dealing yet another blow to the city’s image – and underlining why a better strategy is required to tackle social unrest
The Christmas holidays were neither merry nor peaceful for Hongkongers. As we envied how the festive season was celebrated with love and joy across the globe, we stunned the world with images of arson, vandalism, tear gas and pepper spray that have become all too familiar over the past six months.
As usual, the clashes between protesters and police were greeted with support and resentment from different quarters in society. Concerns are growing that the situation may linger until the new year and beyond. Effective solutions are badly needed to help restore order and stability expeditiously.
It is a pity that chaos and violence returned after a brief respite. Unlike in the past, when they were confined to some protest areas in the evening, they moved inside festive shopping malls during the day.
Santa Claus and revellers were replaced by black-clad protesters and police with riot gear; the former trashing shops and singing Glory to Hong Kong, and the latter using pepper spray and force to subdue the crowd. Numbers were noticeably smaller than those at the height of the unrest, but the scenes were no less disturbing.
As usual, the government and police slammed the protest violence and denied using excessive force. The administration branded criticism by Hong Kong Watch, a British group set up in 2017 to monitor the city’s freedoms and human rights, as “fake, utterly irresponsible and grossly unfair”.
But the Christmas clashes, widely reported by international media, have dealt another blow to the image of Hong Kong and its police.
Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor hit out at what she called a group of reckless and selfish rioters ruining the festive mood of locals and tourists. But it goes beyond spoiling the holiday atmosphere and undermining business. The re-emergence of violence shows that people are still frustrated by the inadequate response of the government. Even though the extradition bill that sparked the mass protests was eventually withdrawn, many relevant issues remain unresolved.
Meeting Lam earlier this month on the sidelines of Macau’s 20th anniversary of reunification with China, President Xi Jinping reportedly showed support for the next step to be taken by the government in tackling the unrest. Details remain unclear at this stage, but the endorsement means the embattled city leader has secured Beijing’s firm support in restoring peace and order.
No less important is the strategy. Fuelled by politics and an array of deep-seated problems, the unrest requires more than resolute law enforcement if it is to be tackled. The past six months show that the protests are unlikely to die down by themselves. The government has to come up with effective solutions to address the situation.